Save the Soldiers: Chapter 2

2.
“Hello? Excuse me, sir, are you alright?”

I opened my eyes slowly. Bent over me was a worried looking girl. She seemed to be around my age, and in my opinion, she was very pretty. She was one of those people you would always remember after seeing them. She had piercing blue eyes and scarlet hair, obviously dyed, that fell like a waterfall past her shoulders. She wore no makeup, but her pale skin was flawless, so smooth looking and not a spot in sight. Her delicate eyebrows, plucked to perfection, were slightly raised on her forehead due to the way she was crumpling it in concern. She had rosy cheeks and a rounded face, with plump lips that were parted in a nervous smile as she saw my eyes open, revealing pearly white teeth. She dressed well too, in a black Beatles t-shirt and leather jacket along with skinny jeans and pink Doc Martens. She gave off a radiant glow, along with a sweet flowery smell that made me want to like this girl. And then I remembered what had happened to me. The spirit of Harry that followed me. Well, I imagined it did. I had just got myself worked up. But I glanced around in fear, just to make sure I was safe.

“Uh, hi. Sorry to concern you. I was just…” I couldn’t think what to say. How do you tell a person you only just met that you had seen a ghost and fainted?
“…taking a nap on the floor?” the girl laughed. I smiled in response.
“Something like that.”
“Well, no offence, but ya look bloody terrible. Would you like some water? I have some in my bag.”
“Water? Please,” I replied gratefully. She handed me a bottle and I gulped it down.
“So. I haven’t seen you around here before. You visiting someone?”
“No, I just moved in here.”
“I was hoping you might say that. You’re interesting. Maybe we should spend some more time together,” the girl said with a cheeky grin. I tried not to blush.
“That would be great, of course. I’m Sam Miller.”
“Leanne Harper. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
We shook hands and I stood up slowly.
“How about we go for a Chinese?” I asked her.
“I’m really sorry, but I can’t tonight. Before I saw you collapse, I was on my way to visit my mother. Are you free tomorrow night though?”
“Sure,” I told her, feeling a little disappointed that we couldn’t spend the rest of the evening together, but glad she actually seemed interested in meeting up again. She grabbed some scrap paper from her bag and scribbled down her number, looking cute as she tried to balance it on her knee and hopping all the while. I laughed, for the first time in months, possibly, and she handed me the paper.

“Call me tomorrow,” she said, and then with a little wave, she ran off at full speed, her hair flying behind her. I smiled to myself and continued my walk.

When I went to bed that night, it was the first time since Harry’s death that I didn’t dream of it.